The limiting and lifeless paper CV is being left behind as the world becomes fully immersed in everything that is digital.

For decades, the traditional resume has played a significant role in recruitment. Yet employers and job seekers are now placing less importance on the standard CV, and are instead choosing to embrace all that the online world has to offer the recruitment process.

Why are employers and recruiters going digital?

Nearly all organisations use the internet and require digital competency from their employees. With digital being such an integral part of everyday business, it makes sense that the out-dated resume is shunned in favour of social and other online formats.

Many employers also find that sifting through paper resumes manually or through software programmes can lead to errors or inaccuracies. What’s more, the constrictive CV format can leave them frustrated as they receive brief, one-dimensional overviews of applicant’s past accomplishments and skills, without getting any real insight into their actual capabilities and future potential.

The convenience of digital has also made it a winner. With software integrating LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social networks available, employers and recruiters can advertise job vacancies, receive applications and filter results with minimal administrative effort.

LinkedIn profiles are constantly being updated, so provide a rich, up-to-date insight into a person’s capabilities while also allowing for a greater deal of personality.

Exploring a person’s Google search results, Klout scores, Twitter followers and LinkedIn recommendations can also help employers and recruiters gain a better understanding of a person’s innovation and creativity as well as their ability to build a personal brand.

It has also been known for employers to set digital challenges, where candidates are tasked with using social media to set up successful campaigns, in an attempt to discover more about their skills, knowledge and competency. These contest-driven applications can often result in a higher level of talented applicants applying for a vacancy.

How can candidates make a strong impression online?

There are a number of steps professionals can take to intrigue recruiters and stand out from others when applying for roles:

LinkedIn:

Keep your LinkedIn up-to-date and list all the skills you have that people may search for.

Show that you are open to opportunities in the ‘Communications’ section, as this can indicate to recruiters that they can get in contact with you.

Twitter:

Set yourself up as a thought leader by tweeting and commenting on relevant stories.

Follow professionals at businesses that you would be interested in working for.

Work hard to present yourself well within the 140 character count limit.

Web presence:

Develop your own site to create a larger space where you can display you capabilities and personality.

Create an interactive resume that showcases your personality and creativity.

Get work published in your name on reputable online publications.

One of the most important things to remember is that having an unprofessional web presence can be a lot more damaging than not having one at all.

Who will benefit mostly from this shift away from the traditional CV?

With social interaction and communication ever growing, those who are choosing to stick to the traditional format are the ones who risk losing out.

Businesses and job seekers who are taking steps to embrace the internet are the ones who will reap the benefits it has to offer. For employers and recruiters, they have the potential to access better, brighter candidates quicker, while applicants can really work to stand out from the crowd and get themselves noticed by the best businesses out there.

Author: Lauren Knowles is a digital content writer for portfoliocreditcontrol.com, a recruitment firm with years of experience matching high calibre candidates with credit control vacancies at reputable firms.